About the Journal

The publication of the scientific journal Acta Agriculturae Serbica (AAS) is part of a tradition that has been ongoing since 1996 on Faculty of Agronomy in Čačak (FoA). Two issues of the journal are published annually, in printed (ISSN 0354-9542 - printed) and online versions (ISSN 2560-3140 - online). Persistent work over many years and insistence on the quality and selection of scientific papers, as well as the redesign of the journal, has led to progress and a high category of the journal awarded by the Main Scientific Committee for Biotechnology and Agriculture (national journal for biotechnology and agriculture of international importance - M24). OECD - Frascati classifies this journal in the agriculture, forestry and related sciences group. DOI identification was introduced for scientific papers in the printed version of AAS in 2018. As members of the Serbian Citation Index, doi identification for scientific papers in the online version was implemented during 2014. AAS was available on the AF web portal: http://www.afc.kg.ac.rs/index.php/sr/acta. It has an international editorial board (made up of highly positioned researchers and scientists from abroad and Serbia). AAS exchanges with 7 foreign and 12 national journals. From 01.02.2025. year, the transition to a completely separate AAS website (separated from the AF website) will take place, which represents the first step in referencing in world-renowned databases such as CiteScore™ (Scopus) and others, so we expect an influx of a larger number of manuscripts, which will enable the selection and selection of the best manuscripts for publication. The fully electronic editing of the Journal, with a strengthened editorial board consisting of renowned researchers, enables automated and fully transparent editing and handling of papers submitted for review. The platform contains all the necessary information (sorted by menus) as well as an archive of all issues (since 2002).

FoA is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Central European Agriculture (JCEA) based in Zagreb, which received its first impact factor (0.7) in 2023 and is on the ESCI list, classified in the M22 category (international journal of the M22 category; a journal that is ranked in its field of science from 35% to 75% of journals according to IF2, or IF5, or JCI). During 2027, the Serbian editorial board (led by the FoA) will take over responsibility from the Croatian board and be the lead editorial board for JCEA for that year.

By establishing the scientific journal AAS, which is supported by an international editorial board and published in the English language, as well as by organizing significant scientific events such as the International Review of Scientific Papers by Agronomy Students and the International Symposium on Biotechnology, the Faculty took a decisive step toward a new period of transformation and transition. This period required a fundamental change in mindset, as well as a new logic of success based on the systematic production of knowledge that must be of high quality, timely accessible, and applicable in practice.

While it is valuable to research what one wishes and to achieve the goals set forth, as guaranteed by the Law on Higher Education and the Law on Scientific Research Activity, it is of even greater value to direct efforts toward what is useful—for the individual, the institution, the economy, and the broader social environment. Such an orientation implied the adoption of a new way of thinking and the formation of a new work ethic, as it involved responsibility toward both present and future generations.

The journal AAS and the organization of scientific conferences represented key steps in overcoming the Faculty’s anonymity, integrating it into national and international teaching and research competition, and strengthening its reputation within the scientific community. All of these efforts were directed toward the primary objective—the creation of highly qualified personnel, whether educational, scientific, or professional profiles, capable of responding to the challenges of an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable market of intellectual labor.

Furthermore, the projected establishment of institutes and innovation centers within the Faculty was intended to enable direct and dynamic communication between science and industry. Such an approach ensures the conditions for long-term development and sustainability of both the institution itself and the economic entities that apply research results in practice. In this context, the scientific journal AAS plays a strategic role, particularly in the process of educating and training highly competent staff who will serve as a reliable link between the Faculty and economic stakeholders, including those engaged in primary agricultural production and the food industry.

In order for the journal to fully accomplish this mission and become recognizable in both national and international contexts, it would be necessary to consider the possibility of increasing its publication frequency. Such a change would allow for more regular dissemination of scientific results, more intensive and reliable evaluation of both the journal and the Faculty, as well as enhanced visibility and impact within the broader scientific and economic environment. In this sense, AAS becomes not only a platform for publishing scientific papers, but also a key instrument in linking education, science, and industry, which represents a prerequisite for sustainable and long-term development.